Self-closing, guillotine-type, shutoff valve

ABSTRACT

A hand-operated, guilliotine-type, self-closing, viscous liquids shutoff valve having maximum effectiveness in self-aligned sealing pressure between the valve plate and valve seat when the valve is closed, and reduced forces resisting the hand effort when the valve is open, and effectively wiping the liquid from the valve seat in the operation thereof.

O 2 Umtefl States Patent 1 [11 3,758,070 Zehr [4 Sept. 11, 1973 [54]SELF-CLOSING, GUILLOTINE-TYPE, 1,123,813 1/1915 Smith 251/147 SHUTOFFVALVE 383,995 6/1888 Scoville.... 845,260 2/1907 Raphiel 251/179 [75]Inventor: William ,I. Zehr,Des Plaines, Ill. [73] Assignee: 5h:Protiflctoilelal Company, ri g 'qm qffig y e senv AttorneyCharles W.Rummler, William A. Snow [22] Filed: Sept. 22, 1972 et a1.

[2114 Appl. No.: 291,201

i [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. C1.......' 251/86, 251/147, 251/179, Ahandflperated, gumiotine type, selflclosing viscous 251/300 liquidsshutoff valve having maximum effectiveness in [51] ll lt. Cl. F1611 3/04seltgaligned sealing pressure between the valve plate [58] Fleld ofSearch 251/86, 147, 179, and valve seat when the valve is closed andreduced 251/200 forces resisting the hand effort when the valve is open,and effectively wiping the liquid from the valve seat in [56] ReferencesCue. the operation thereof.

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,850,259 9/1958 Larson 251/86 4 Claims, 6Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEP! 1 1915 saw 1 UP 2 46 4a 40 -I I I I I I I II I I I SELF-CLOSING, GUILLOTINE-TYPE, SHUTOFF VALVE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a self-closing, guillotinetype,viscous liquids shutoff valve employed for oil, molasses and the like.Guillotine-type shutoff valves having a substantially circular dischargeorifice terminating in an arcuate seat surface on the valve body towhich is applied an arcuate valve plate'adapted to slidingly gate theorifice in the shutoff of the flow of viscous liquids therefrom, havebeen in common use for many years. The valve plate is.mo ved from anorifice covering position to an open position by a valveoperating leveror handle which is pivoted on the valve body on an axis coincident withthe radius of the arcuate seat surface.

In the prior art, it has been the practice to use valveoperatingmechanisms comprising a first auxiliary compression spring which bearstangentially to the arcuate surface on the valve gate to return thevalve-operating lever and gate to the shutoff position in theselflclosing thereof, and a second compression spring which bearsinwardly in a radial direction upon the back side of the valve plateself-aligningly pressing the sealing face of said plate against thearcuate seat on the valve body for the sealing thereof in the shutoffposition of the valve.

Disadvantages in the operating characteristics of. these self-closing,guillotine-type shutoff valves of the prior art lie in (l) a continuallyincreasing hand force requirement as the valve is opened wider, and (2)a constant pressure of the valve plate against the sealing surface ofthe body even when it is not needed in the valve-open position. Theoperating mechanisms of these valves in general function through thedirect central and tangential application of forces from respectiveauxilliary compression-springs therein to actuate the self-closingfeature and to self-aligningly maintain the sealing pressure of the faceof the valve plate thereof against the valve seat on the body. At thispoint, it should be recognized that spring mechanisms in such valveswhich generate forces which are centrally and tangentially directed areto be distinguished from spring mechanisms which act at varyingeccentricities and generate forces which vary therewith, as will belater discussed.

Specific examples of the prior art are illustrated in the Ritter U.S.Pat. No. 1,974,083 and Kuckhoff U=S. Pat. No. 1,977,234, which discloseself-closing guillotine valves. The Ritter valve depends on anauxilliary spring to return the lever and gate and has the disadvantageof (l) a continually increasing hand force requirement as the valve isopened wider, and (2) constant pressure of the valve plate against thesealing surface of the body, even though this is not necessary when thevalve is open. The Kuckhoff valve depends on sealing surfaces which areplane or cylindrical sections that are not normal oreccentricallysituated from the center-of-revolution of the operatinglever. Again, this has the disadvantages of 1) increasing force requiredas the opening of the valve is increased, and (2) continually increasingpressure and drag'of the valve plate against the sealing surface in thearea where it is not required, i.e., in,the open position.

There is thus an established need for a guillotinetype, self-closingshutoff valve in which the hand force SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aguillotine-type, self-closing valve wherein the valve self-closingoperating and sealing mechanism comprises a single pair of parallelcompression coil springs required to open and hold the valve open-doesnot inhaving spring axes which are straddlingly-spac'ed across the bodyof the valve in a sidewise direction thereof, which springs areorientated in a plane perpendicular to the plane of opening and closingof the valve and the axes of which springs are directed along inparallel relation with reference to the centerline of the dischargeorifice of the valve. Similar ends of said springs are sim-. ilarlyfixedly anchored to seats on the body of the valve adjacent to thedischarge orifice in straddle relation thereto, and opposed ends of eachof said springs are pivotally mounted on opposite sides thereto onrespective arms of hand levers which in turn are loosely pivotallymounted on trunnion pins having a common axis and extending sidewardlyfrom the valve body at the center of the arcuate seat thereof. In closedposition, the centers of the pivotal" ends of said springs lie onreference lines which bear a fixed relation to the hand lever and passthrough the common. centers of the hand lever trunnion pivot pins. Atvalve shutoff, said lines lie in a direction at right angles to thecenterline of the discharge orifice. Said springs have lines of actionwhich out said lines below the hand lever pivot'center in opposition tothe opening of the valve so that the compression force of the springsalways tends to selfclose the valve. These reference lines and thepositions of these pivotal ends of the springs located thereon coincidewith the torque arm for each spring of the mechanism. Thus, in theclosed position, the direction of the line of action of the force ofsaid springs is in direct line with and most effective in producingforce for holding the valve plate against the body with maximum sealing.A simple ball and socket device, or the like, is centrally mounted inopposed sockets on the valve plate and on the underside of hand leverstructure, respectively, on the centerline of the discharge orifice whenthe valve is in the closed position for self-aligningthe valve plateagainst the valve seat when the valve is in the closed position formaximum effective sealing thereon.

In the valve open position, the aforementioned reference lines whichpass through the hand lever pivot center rotate with reference to-thearms on the hand lever structure and the valve plate as the valve isopened so that the angle between the lines of action of the springs andthese reference lines on the arms becomes greater than the right anglesuch as existed inthe aforementioned valve-shut position. The overalleffect is that for this valve configuration, the torque arm .of eachspring of the self-closing and sealing mechanism is decreased as thevalve is opened. As the valve is opened, though the spring force isincreased by compression of the springs from the eccentric movement ofthe pivoted ends thereof, the torque arm for each spring isproportionally less, and thus the hand force required on the hand levertoopen and hold the valve open decreases.

Also, as the valve is opened, the vector component of force pressing thevalve plate against the body becomes less direct so that again the handforce required to open and hold the valve open is less because thefrictional force between the valve plate and the valve seat is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe viscous liquid shutoff valve of this invention in the closedposition;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the shutoff valve in the closedposition;

FIG. '3 is a bottom elevational view of the shutoff DETAILED DESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS The viscous liquid self-closing, shutoff valve of thisinvention comprises a valve body having an elbowed bore 11, as shown inFIGS. 4, 5 and 6, with a substantially circular discharge orifice 12 influid connection with said bore 11 at one end thereof and a threadedpipe fitting 14 in fluid connection with the bore 11 at the opposite endthereof. Trunnion bosses 19 are cast in the outer sides of the body 10diametrically opposite each other at a location which is substantiallyintermediate between the pipe fitting end 14 and the discharge orificeend 12, as shown in FIG. 2, which is roughly on the centerline X of thedischarge orifice 12 at its intersection with the centerline Y of thepipe fitting 14, as shown in FIG. 5. Trunnion pins 20 are part of thebosses 19 on a common trunnion axis and extend sidewardly therefrom, asshown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

A convex, cylindrically arcuate seat 18, which terminates the endsurface of discharge orifice 12, as shwon in FIGS. 5 and 6, iscylindrically shaped about the axis of the circular trunnion'pins 20, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A valve plate 22 having a concave arcuatesealing face 23 of the same radius of curvature as the arcuate valveseat 18 is slidingly applied to the arcuate seat. 18, as shown in FIGS.1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, to gate the orifice 12 in the shutoff and opening ofthe valve. A ball socket 24 is located in the back face of valveplate 22on the centerline "X" of the discharge orifice when the valve is closed,as shown in broken lines in FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6 and in full lines inFIG. 4, and a steel ball36 seats in the socket 24 therein.

A valve operating lever structure 28 having spaced, parallel side armsor plates 30 is anchored as at 33 as by machine screws at the forwardcorners thereof to the sides of lever-supporting structure 28, asclearly shown in FIGS. I and 5, and contains bores 32 therein eachloosely pivoted on the trunnion pins 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5.Bores 32 are only loosely pivoted on the trunnion pins 20 for thepurpose of allowing free,

self-aligned seating of the valve plate 22 on the valve seat 18 with themaximum effective sealing thereon when the valve is closed making wearpads unnecessary because the large-clearance bore 32 shown providesfreedom of action, accommodation of manufacturing tolerances and take-upfor valve plate 22 wear on valveseat 18.

A ball socket 34 is centrally located in the inner face of the leversupporting structure 28 roughly below the juncture of a handle 29 withsaid support structure 28, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and lies in linewith the ball socket 24 and adjacent thereto. Steel ball 36saddles inboth socket 24 and socket 34 in said valve plate 22 and lever structure28 to provide self-aligning back-up of the arcuate valve plate 22against the arcuate valve seat 18 and to transmit the hand and springoperating forces on the handle 29 to slidingly open and close the valveplate 22 thereon.

The self-closing and sealing mechanism 38 of the valve of thisinvention, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5, comprises coil springs 40the axes of which are oriented in parallel relation with respect to thecenterline X of the discharge orifice 12 in a location outside the body.10 and offset in the direction of the closing of the valve thereto.Fixed spring-end seating lugs 42 having clearance bores 43 with axessubstantially parallel to the centerline X of the discharge orifice aremounted to the body 10 adjacent to and outside of the discharge orifice12 on the respective lines of action of the springs 40. The oppositeends of said springs 40 seat against respective spring shoes 46.

Spring shoe seats 44 of semi-circular form are cut in each side arm orplate 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, having centers which, when thevalve is closed, lie on reference lines 31 which are perpendicular tothe centerline X of the discharge orifice l2 and which pass through thecommon centersof the trunnion pins 20 on the side of said pins 20 in thedirection of the closing of said valve. When the valve is opened, thecenter of seats 44 rotate with the side arm or plate 30 about the pins20 as centers in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the frontside of the valve to further compress springs 40, as shown in FIG. 5.

Spring shoes 46 pivotally seat in respective shoe seats 44, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 5. Slide rods 48, which are coaxial with and on the line ofaction of the axis of each spring 40, are fixedly mounted at one end tothe respective shoes 46, and are loosely slidable at the other endthrough respective bores 43 in the lugs 42 on the valve body 10, asshown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5. The slide rods 48 serve to guide springs'40 and to maintain square end seating of spring 40 on the shoes 46 atall times.

The advantages of applicants valve are best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5, oneshowing the valve plate 22 closed and the other open. Note the angle Abetween the line of action of the compression springs 40 and the torquearms 31. In the valve-closed position, the angle A is roughly a rightangle which is the optimum for rotation of the side arms or plates 30and that the pressure of thevalve plate 22 on the valve seat 18 is bestfor maximum sealing. In the valve-open position, the mechanicaladvantage of the valve-operating mechanism 38 is a minimum giving easeof holding valve plate 22 open, because the angle A" is much larger thana right angle. In this configuration, the force of spring 40 is greaterbut the effectiveness thereof is lower. If the angle were the springforce would be highest but the ability to produce rotation would bezero. Thus the hand force required to open and hold the valve plate 22open does not increase as fast as the force developed by compressing thesprings 40, making for easier operation. Also, as the valve plate 22 isopened, the vector of force pressing the valve plate 22 against thevalve seat 18 becomes less direct, thus reducing the resistance toopening and closing.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it will be understood that details of the constructionshown may be al tered or omitted without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

' l. A self-closing, guillotine-type, shutoff valve with a body having acylindrically arcuate valve plate and valve seat centered on an axispassing sidewise through and substantially intermediate between adischarge orifice end and apip'e fitting end of the body of the valve,the improvement in valve operating mechanism comprising:

a. a hand lever means pivotally mounted on the sides of the valve bodyon the axis thereof and operationally connected to the valve platebyself-aligning means for the hand-opening of the valve, and b.compression spring means mounted between the hand lever means and thevalve body offset from and substantially parallel to the centerline ofthe valve discharge orifice in the direction of valve closing, wherebythe maximum effectiveness for self-closing of the valve and the maximumpressure for sealing of the valve plate on the valve seat is obtainedwhen the valve is shut. 2. In the self-closing, guillotine-type valve asset forth in claim 1 wherein the hand lever means comprises:

7 a. a pair of trunnion pins on said axis mounted on the bodyon theopposed sides thereof at roughly the intersection of the centerline ofthe discharge ori- 6. fice end and the centerline of the pipe fittingend, and t b. a hand lever structure having opposed side-arms astridethe sides of and loosely pivoted to the trun' y nion pins on the body ofthe valve.

3. In the self-closing, guillotine-type valve as set forth in claim 1wherein the compression spring means comprises: I

a. shoe means pivotally mounted to said side-arms in first plane'sperpendicular to the trunnion axis and outside the body of the valve atcenters offset from and at substantially right angles to the centerlineof the discharge orifice in the direction of valve closing when thevalve is closed, i l

b. seating lugs substantially in said first planes and having clearancebores with axes substantially par -allel to said centerline of thedischarge orifice and offset therefrom in substantially parallelrelation thereto, fixedly mounted to the body of the valve adjacent tothe discharge orifice,

c. slide rods having first ends fixedly mounted to said shoe means andloosely extending in roughlyparallel relation to' the centerline of thedischarge orifice through said bores in the seating lugs, and

dssaid compression spring means loosely mounted on said slide rodsbetween said seating lugs at one end and said shoe means at the other.

4. In the self-closing, guillotine-type valve as set forth in claim 1wherein the self-aligning means comprises a trally located thereon. t

1. A self-closing, guillotine-type, shutoff valve with a body having acylindrically arcuate valve plate and valve seat centered on an axispassing sidewise through and substantially intermediate between adischarge orifice end and a pipe fitting end of the body of the valve,the improvement in valve operating mechanism comprising: a. a hand levermeans pivotally mounted on the sides of the valve body on the axisthereof and operationally connected to the valve plate by self-aligningmeans for the hand-opening of the valve, and b. compression spring meansmounted between the hand lever means and the valve body offset from andsubstantially parallel to the centerline of the valve discharge orificein the direction of valve closing, whereby the maximum effectiveness forselfclosing of the valve and the maximum pressure for sealing of thevalve plate on the valve seat is obtained when the valve is shut.
 2. Inthe self-closing, guillotine-type valve as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe hand lever means comprises: a. a pair of trunnion pins on said axismounted on the body on the opposed sides thereof at roughly theintersection of the centerline of the discharge orifice end and thecenterline of the pipe fitting end, and b. a hand lever structure havingopposed side-arms astride the sides of and loosely pivoted to thetrunnion pins on the body of the valve.
 3. In the self-closing,guillotine-type valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein the compressionspring means comprises: a. shoe means pivotally mounted to saidside-arms in first planes perpendicular to the trunnion axis and outsidethe body of the valve at centers offset from and at substantially rightangles to the centerline of the discharge orifice in the direction ofvalve closing when the valve is closed, b. seating lugs substantially insaid first planes and having clearance bores with axes substantiallyparallel to said centerline of the discharge orifice and offsettherefrom in substantially parallel relation thereto, fixedly mounted tothe body of the valve adjacent to the discharge orifice, c. slide rodshaving first ends fixedly mounted to said shoe means and looselyextending in roughly parallel relation to the centerline of thedischarge orifice through said bores in the seating lugs, and d. saidcompression spring means loosely mounted on said slide rods between saidseating lugs at one end and said shoe means at the other.
 4. In theself-closing, guillotine-type valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein theself-aligning means comprises a ball interposed between sockets locatedon the hand lever means and the valve plate, respectively, and centrallylocated thereon.